Of Ginny and Draco
by Firestar08
Summary: This used to be called 'Of Cat and Dragon." I chanced it around a bit so I hope you enjoy. [COMPLETED]
1. Chapter 1

Of Ginny and Draco By Firestar ~Flames of the Emerald*Phoenix~  
  
*~~~Chapter 1-The Anonymous Gift~~~*  
  
It was Feb. 12th. Two days till Valentine. Ginny was sitting in the Great Hall, eating breakfast with her fellow Gryffindors when the a white owl flew into the room and dropped a small box into her lap. Ginny was surprised; who could be writing to her? Her parents were in Egypt, visiting Bill, and she couldn't think of any other person who she regularly wrote to.  
  
As she got a good look at the owl, she realized something else. The owl was an Hogwarts school-owl. Strange, that meant the box was from someone in the school. She ripped opened the box as the owl flew away.  
  
What she saw inside made Ginny gasp in surprise. It as a delicately- made, glass dragon. The beauty of it took her breath away. Its fiery tail feathers were a burning shade of green and orange, its posture grand and majestic.  
  
"Who's it from?" The redhead looked up to see her brother, Ron, and his friends, Harry and Hermione, looking at her. It was Harry who had spoken.  
  
"I don't know," Ginny replied, blushing slightly. Looking carefully, she saw a small card tucked away neatly beside the glass figure. She opened the card and began to read silently. She gasped again and turned flaming red when she was done.  
  
"What's wrong?" Ron asked, concerned for his younger sister.  
  
"N-Nothing," Ginny stuttered. Her mind was still racing as the message echoed over and over in her mind. Her heart burned with delight and her legs felt weak. She opened the card and read it again, just to make sure her eyes weren't decieving her. The message had been written in beautifully neat handwriting. Surrounded by a border of flames, it read:  
  
Dear Ginny,  
  
I'm not sure how to begin. But maybe I should begin at the beginning, just as every story has a start and an end. Let's start my story from when you have first entered Hogwarts. You were young, shy, yet I could sense a fiery spirit inside you. I have felt something in my heart for you the second I set eyes on you... I am sending you this glass dragon as a token of my feelings for you, also in hopes that you will think of me when you see it. I hope you like it.  
  
Yours Truely,  
Your Secret Admirer,  
D  
  
Beside the letter 'D', there was a picture of a dragon, exactly like the one that was sent to her.  
  
"Ginny?" The girl opened her eyes to find Harry looking at her, a worried look on his face. Her face burned with embarassment, and without another word, she grabbed the gift and card and ran out of the Great Hall, leaving a surprised Harry and Ron behind. Only Hermione chuckled, a knowing look on her face.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ginny sat on her bed, her face still burning. She couldn't believe it; someone actually cared for /her/, Virginia Weasley...  
  
She did not see Hermione enter the room until she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Ginny?" Hermione asked, her voice gentle. "Who is it?"  
  
"No one."  
  
"It's okay, Ginny," the older Gryffindor's soothing voice calmed her racing heart. "You can tell me. Who is he?"  
  
Ginny looked up. "How do you know it's a he?"  
  
Hermione chuckled. "I've always been able to tell. So, who is it?"  
  
"I don't know. There was no signature."  
  
"Can I see?"  
  
Ginny handed over the letter.  
  
Reading it, Hermione smiled. "You'll find out one day. Good Luck, Ginny." With that, the older girl handed the letter back and left the room, giving Ginny some time to think about what had just occured.. 


	2. Chapter 2

*~~~Chapter 2~~Thoughts~~~*  
  
Draco Malfoy lay in bed. His dorm mates were all fast asleep, but Draco couldn't sleep. He didn't know what made him do it... When he had spotted Ginny sitting by the lake yesterday, something inside him had snapped. He had run to his room, and found himself spending hours composing a letter to the young girl. He had grabbed the glass dragon statue he had bought in Diagon Alley a month ago, and putting it in a box, had mailed it to the Gryffindor redhead with a school owl.  
  
Indeed, he had felt something for her the second he has set eyes on her, but he had known there was no way his father would approve of this. Ginny was a Weasley, and the Malfoys and the Weasleys had been enemies for as long as he could remember. But his parents were gone now. They had both been captured and put into Azkaban a month ago when Harry Potter had managed to defeat the Dark Lord.  
  
Draco was still amazed that the Boy-Who-Lived had actually killed the most evil wizard of all times. The Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and Hufflepuffs had been ecstatic with joy, and though the Slytherins put on a good act in the Great Hall, groaning and cursing could be heard all over the House. Draco, though, surprisingly, felt the same feelings as the Gryffindors, only in his heart, they were ten times greater. He was stunned by the sudden realization: he was free to do whatever he liked. There was no one to stop him, no father to punish him, no Voldemort to fear and serve.  
  
When Harry walked by, he had to be careful in order to apply the mask of cold arrogance onto his face. He wanted to walk up and thank the boy for setting him free, but who would ever believe him? Who would believe that a Slytherin would thank a Gryffindor? No one, that was who.  
  
But now, he had sent Ginny the letter. She would probably show it to someone, and his secret would be out. But a part of him felt deliriously happy. That happiness never showed on his face though; he had been taught since he was little never to show his emotions. His parents would punish him if he dared to laugh or cry. In their opinion, that was too much of a display of feelings. He had been brought up to seem cold and heartless, and it was a habit hard to alter.  
  
He sighed as he stopped his flow of rushing thoughts. He felt faintly drowsy, and soon managed to fall asleep.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ginny sat in Professor Trawleny's class, listening to the teacher mumble on about the importance of the picking of names. "Your future may change depending on the structure and the meaning of the names your parents have chosen."  
  
"Your homework," the teacher said at the end of class. "Is to pick a certain grade and a certain house. Make a list of at least ten people and explain the meaning of their names. Class dismissed."  
  
That evening, Ginny sat in the library, flipping through old volumes of books. Her mind kept wandering. She had recieved many other gifts since the first gift she had recieved a month ago. Each note was signed with he letter 'D' and the picture of a dragon. She had instantly liked the person, whoever it was. Her cheeks reddened slightly as she thought of the last note she had recieved. There had been a bouquet of flowers along with the note.  
  
She sighed and turned back to her studies. This was fascinating. She discovered that the ending of Voldemort's name meant death. How interesting. She made a note in her workbook and looked at the next name she had written down. Pansy Parkinson. According to the book she was reading, pansy was a type of flower with velvety petals in many shades of color. Tom Riddle. This was, she knew, Voldemort's real name. She had thought it would be interesting not to just study the names of current students, but also of students of the generation past.  
  
Flipping to the back of the book, she discovered that tom meant the male of a cat. Next name was Severus Snape. Severus meant 'stern', 'strict' and 'hard'. Next: Albus Dumbledore. That meant 'white' and 'bumblebee' in latin. Next name... Draco Malfoy. The word Draco meant dragon... Next name...  
  
Suddenly, Ginny stopped, gasping. Realization hit her with the force of a brick wall. Draco.... dragon... She once again remembered the letter signed with a fancy 'D' and an imprint of a dragon... Could it be? Could it be Draco Malfoy, the person everyone refered to as 'that arrogant git', be the one who had so tenderly written her those notes? More importantly, could she really like a person with such a cold reputation?  
  
Ginny didn't know. For now, her head was a hurricane of thoughts. She couldn't stand being in the library any longer. She wanted to scream, to run with the wind and forget her troubles, if only for a few minutes. Grabbing her books, she ran out of the room and raced towards the Lake to think about what she had just learned. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~` 


	3. Chapter 3

*~~~Chapter 3~~~*  
  
Ginny sat at the edge of the Lake, the wind whipping through her hair. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry: Draco Malfoy loved her. Was she supposed to feel insulted, or grateful? She truely didn't know. Tears of confusion dropped from her eyelids and rolled down her cheek. It was snowing, falling all over her, but she barely felt the cold.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Draco Malfoy was exhausted. And confused. And frustrated. And... ARGHHH! He felt like ripping his own hair out. He was tired of doing school work, and his mind kept drifting over to Ginny.  
He had to admit, the girl was absolutely beautiful with her flaming hair. And kind. And intellegent. And...  
"Darling, you looked delightful!"  
Draco groaned silently when he looked up and saw Pansy Parkinson standing in front of him. The absolute COW of a girl looked at him and tried to sit on his lap.  
Draco shifted his legs so that the girl sat on thin air. He couldn't stand this any more. Grabbing his cloak, he raced out the door.  
  
Draco had planned on going to the Lake when he saw a small figure in the distance. A figure with beautiful red hair... Ginny. He froze, not sure whether or not to approach. Too late. Just then, Ginny looked up and saw him.  
  
Ginny froze when she saw Draco Malfoy standing there. The boy seemed to freeze too. SLowly, the blond approached her. Ginny looked, transfixed, as the Slytherin came closer and closer.  
"Draco," Ginny said softly.  
Draco froze, hearing his first name come from a Weasley. She couldn't possibly know, could she? He decided to take a chance. "Weasley," he said coldly.  
Ginny faltered slightly before she said gently, "Draco, I know its you. Why are you behaving this way?"  
Draco stopped dead. So she knew. "How did you know?"  
So Ginny explained how she had found out when she was doing her Divination homework.  
"Bloody Trawleny," Draco growled, startled when he heard Ginny laugh.  
"Are you alright?" He asked.  
"I'm fine." She shivered slightly. "Just cold."  
Draco quickly pulled off his own cloak and warpped it aroud Ginny's shoulders. He quickly clasped the buckle together. He smiled slightly as he looked at the girl. The cloak went all the way down to her ankles, seeming too long. Her red hair swept around in the wind, forming a swirling circle behind her.  
He saw so entranced by it that he didn't notice her question.  
"Draco?"  
"What, Weasley?"  
"Ginny. My name's Ginny, not Weasley."  
Draco looked at the red sweater she was wearing. "Then what does the 'V' stand for?"  
"'V'?" He pointed to her sweater. "Why does it say 'V'?"  
"Virginia. Ginny's short for Virginia."  
Virginia. The word rang in his mind. Such a beautiful name. Ginny was the name of a child, a little girl, while Virginia was elegant, the name of a lady, a princess. He made up his mind right then to only call Ginny 'Virginia.'  
"Is Draco short for anything?"  
Draco nodded. "Draconis."  
There was a moment of silence.  
"What are you doing out here in this weather, Virginia?"  
Ginny smiled as her named rolled off Draco's tongue. "I was tired. I needed a break. How about you?"  
"Same," Draco smirked. "I had to get away from Pansy. She was driving me insane.  
Ginny smiled at the mental image. She looked up at Draco into those icy, grey-blue eyes. The blond hair was perfectly gelled, not a strand was out of place.  
"You shouldn't use gel," she said softly, reaching up and feeling a strand of hair. "It probably looks better just normal."  
Draco was surprised to see that he didn't feel insulted at all. Normally, he would tell the person to get lost or bugger off, but Virginia... her words were meant kindly, without any trace of venom in it.  
"Virginia," Draco said softly. "D-Do you want to come to the Valentine Ball with me?"  
Ginny hesitated slightly, and Draco cursed himself for his stupidity. Of course she would refuse, she was a Weasley.  
To his surprise, she grinned. "Sure," she said, smiling. She faltered slightly at the troubled look on Draco's face. "Waht's wrong?"  
"What will everyone else say?" He asked. "A Malfoy dancing with a Weasley?"  
Ginny laughed. "I'm sure they'll all get heart failures. Na, no problem," she said. "Use masks." "Masks?"  
"Why not?" she smiled. "No one else will need to know."  
Draco smirked, an idea forming in his mind. "Of course," he said. He looked at the time. "It's getting late, Virginia. I'll see you tomorrow at the Valentine Dance, I suppose?"  
Ginny smirked back. "Of course," she answered slyly.  
"See you tomorrow," Draco said. "I'll meet you at the Astronomy Tower in the evening."  
With that, the blond turned and walked away. Ginny realized too late that she still had his cloak.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	4. Chapter 4

~Chapter 4- The Valentine Ball~  
  
It was finally the day of the Valentine Ball. Ginny woke up late in the afternoon and went to the Great Hall for a late lunch. It was apparent that Draco was already gone, for his usual spot was empty.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A few hours later, she began dressing up for the dance. As she headed up to her dorms with Hermione at her side, she heard one of the boys exclaim, "What? They need five hours to get ready?"  
Rolling her eyes, she yanked open the door to the girls' dorm and walked inside.  
"So who are you going with?" Hermione asked curiously as she pulled out her lavender dress robe. "I figured out who the letter was from. I'm going with him."  
"Who is he?"  
Ginny smiled. "Sorry, 'Mione, but I can't tell you. It's a surprise."  
"It's alright, Gin." Hermione stood in front of the mirror as she tried to smooth out her hair. She went into her room to get a few more hairclips.  
Ginny pulled on the emerald green dress robes she had bought with her allowance. This was the best robe she had ever owned in her life: there were miniture butterflies sown on the hems. The silky material swished around as she stood in front of the mirror. She ran a brush through her hair and let it hang straight. She clasped a silver necklace around he rneck. The phoenix pendant glittered and fluttered slightly. She added a touch of makeup. Perfect.  
Hermione walked out of her room and nearly dropped the box in her hands when she saw the younger girl. "Ohmygosh," she gasped. "Ginny, you look beautiful."  
Ginny blushed, her cheeks flushing a rosy red. "Thanks, 'Mione," she said happily. "Here, give me the pins, I'll fix your hair for you."  
  
Half an hour later, she pulled on a blank mask she had found in her trunk. Wrapping Draco's cloak around her, she headed to wards the Astronomy Tower.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Draco stood in front of the mirror after coming out of the shower. A high-collared silver dressrobe hung loosely around his frame. He decided to take Ginny's suggestion and not use any gel. It was time he let his hair hang naturally.  
He pulled out a white mask he had bought earlier that day when he had sneaked into Hogsmeade. Pulling it onto his face, he walked over to the Astronomy Tower.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ginny reached the tower and saw a figure sillouetted against the window. Instantly, she knew who it was.  
"Draco," she called out softly.  
The figure turned and Ginny's breath caught in her throat. Dracos' robes were silver, flashing in the dim moonlight. His usually gelled hair was smooth and silky.  
"Virginia."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Virginia."  
Draco froze as he heard himself utter the name. He inwardly gasped as he examined the youngest Weasley. The girl wore a long, emerald robe which reached her ankles. It was simply, but elegant, hugging her slim form. Although a white mask covered her face, she looked as beautiful as ever, her long, fiery red hair swishing behind her.  
"Let's go," he said, smiling as he saw his cloak around Virginia's shoulders. He held out his arm and guided her towards the Great Hall.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione kept a lookout for Ginny throughout the night. She was partners with Ron while Harry had gone with Cho. She kept glancing at the door. Lavender, Parvati... there! Although a white mask covered her face, she knew it was Ginny. She could easily recognize the emerald robes and fiery hair.  
Following her was a boy who was slightly taller. He too wore a mask, only it was black. He wore silver robes with high-collars with a blue lining on the hem. Smooth blond hair was visible from behind.  
'I wonder who that is,' she thought to herself.  
"Come on, 'Mione, let's dance," She heard Ron call out.  
"Alright." She smiled and began to dance, forgetting Ginny as Ron pulled her close.  
  
It was almost the end of the ball (several hours later) when Dumbledore stood up. "It is almost the end of our Valentine Ball," he announced, his eyes twinkling. "I would like to bring it to an end with a competition: the best dancers. All participants, please step up."  
She and Ron didn't participate; Hermione was content just to watch. Harry and Cho, however, did.  
She watched in amusement as pair after pair went. Lavender and Seamus, Parvati and Dean, Parkinson and Goyle, Blaise and Crabbe... To her surprise, Cho and Harry were rather decent dancers. The line of contestants slowly got shorter and shorter. At last, Hermione watched as Ginny and her partner stepped up. There was something about the way the pair moved, so comfortable, so... familiar. As she watched, the pair joined hands.  
  
They both seemed to transform before Hermione's eyes. The moment their hands touched, it was as though a new feeling entered the room. The Great Hall became a ballroom and the two professional dancers were demonstrating their skill. With her right hand still holding his left, Ginny twirled once underneath the arch it made and stopped when she put her left hand on the other's shoulder. Their moves were perfectly sycronized and flawless, smooth and elegent.  
They danced as a couple might- two people so comfortable with each other that they sometimes forgot where one person stopped and the other began. They danced in perfect harmony, as though they practiced together all their lives. They were exactly the opposite, yet so similar at the same time. They were one, yin and yang, Day and Night, Light and Dark, coming together to form a whole. Hermione saw this closeness as both spoke softly to each other, but never pausing in their movements. She saw it in their intricate footwork and in that footwork she saw their story.  
The dance drew on and on. Finally, Ginny twirled faster and faster until she was but a blur. She leaped into the air and as she came down and her partner caught her easily, holding her up in the air.  
There was a moment of silence as the dance ended. Then, the Great hall exploded into clapping with Hermione leading her. Whoever Ginny's partner was, they were truly spectacular.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ginny smiled at Draco as the Hall exploded into applause. She felt totally comfortable dancing with Draco, almost as if she had been doing it all her life.  
Dumbledore stood up, eyes twinkling. "Ah, excellent dancing, everyone," the Headmaster said. "However, one pair was distinctly the winner." He motioned for Ginny and Draco to walk up.  
Ginny tugged on the blond's arm as she proudly walked up next to Dumbledore.  
"The winner of this round's dance is..." He paused, looking at Ginny and Draco."  
Ginny smiled again and looked at Draco. She could see the icy-blue through the holes on the mask. The blond nodded, looking back at her. At the exact same moment, they both reached up and whipped off their masks.  
The crowd was suddenly silent. Then, gasps exploded around the room. Even Dumbledore looked stunned.  
"Well, the winner is Ms. Ginny Weasley and Mr. Draco Malfoy." He quickly regained his posture as he handed them both a small metal. "Good night, you two," he said, smiling.  
Ginny grinned and pulled Draco out the door.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Draco felt Virginia pulling at his arm. He smirked as he distinctly heard Weasley yell, "What a hell! Give me my wand so I can..."  
He never heard what the boy threatened to do, for he was pulled out of the room by Ginny.  
He lead the way outside into the gardens. The smell of roses and lavender drifted towards them.  
"Virginia," He whispered softly, gazing into the other's chocolate- brown eyes. Merlin, she was beautiful. What had he done to deserve her?  
"Draco."  
Her voice was a half whisper as she looked back at him.  
The next thing he knew, he had pulled down into a kiss. Her lips connected with his as he leaned down, feeling the other's mouth brush gently against him. He deepened the kiss as he felt hot and cold at the same time, never wanting the intimate moment to end.  
Finally, he stopped as he once again lost himself in the other's eyes. "Virginia," he breathed. "I love you."  
"I love you too, Draconis." His name rolled off her tongue smoothly. "Happy Valentines Day, my love," she whispered as they leaned down for a final kiss. The wind whistled softly in the calmness of the night. The moon seemed to glow briefly before returning to normal. Somewhere, far off in the distance, a wolf howled.  
  
The End. 


End file.
